Temporary liner flue assembly for repairing masonry stacks



Nov. 14, 1967 C. E. BOLE TEMPORARY LINER FLUE ASSEMBLY FOR REPAIRINGMASONRY STACKS Filed April 16. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III INVENTOR.

v 01.4005 E. HOLE A I Iorney Nov. 14, 1967 C. E. TEMPORARY LINE FORREPAIRING R FL ASSEMBLY MASONRY STACKS v Filed April 16, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VE/V TOR. CLAUDE E. HOLE United States Patent3,352,072 TEMPORARY LINER FLUE ASSEMBLY FOR REPAIRING MASONRY STACKSClaude E. Bole, Gary, Ind., assignor to United States Steel Corporation,a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 448,676 4Claims. (Cl. 52-127) The present invention relates generally to masonrystacks and, more particularly, to a temporary liner flue assemblyespecially suitable for use in the repair of an operating masonry stack;and an improved method of repairing or conditioning operating masonrystacks.

Certain industrial masonry stacks are at times subjected to conditionswhich cause rapid deterioration of the upper portions of the stacks. Forexample, a coke-oven stack sufiiers rapid deterioration of the mortar inthe brick lining of the upper portion of the stack when the coke ovensare operating intermittently or are banked. When the ovens are operatingintermittently or are banked, the coke-oven battery stack temperature isreduced; and sulfur trioxide in the combustion gases passing upwardlythrough the stack combines with moisture to form sulfuric acid, whichattacks the brick lining of the stack. It is well known that brickmortar will deteriorate rapidly in the presence of strong sulfuric acidand that the most rapid deterioration occurs in the upper portion of thecoke-oven battery stack.

Coke-oven battery stacks are associated with costly coke-oven batteriesand must be in service continuously whether the ovens are being operatedcontinuously, intermittently or are banked. Under any of theseconditions, combustion gases are passing through the stack. In mostinstances, a spare or alternative stack is not available for use While adamaged stack is being repaired. The repair of the top section of acoke-oven battery stack, which in many instances is 250 feet high,presents many problems.

Prior to my invention, two methods were generally used for making thenecessary repairs to deteriorated stacks. One method involvedconstructing a temporary stack, usually of sheet metal, and erecting itat a convenient location near the permanent stack. Then, after thecombustion gases had been diverted into the temporary stack, repairswere started on the damaged permanent stack. Obviously, the constructionand erection of such a temporary stack was a comparatively expensiveoperation.

Another method of repairing damaged stacks involved sending workmenaloft, by conventional means, to replace the damaged top section whilethe stack remained in operation. Since the products of combustionissuing from the stack were toxic before they were diluted in theatmosphere and could exceed 300 F. in temperature, the serious hazardsto the workmen involved are readily apparent. Further, mortar appliedunder these conditions could not be expected to cure properly as curingdepends on a chemical bonding of water with the mortar ingredients.Under conditions that existed while using this method of repairing astack, the fresh mortar was exposed to gases having temperatures in arange higher than the boiling point of water. Thus, the water wasevaporated from the soft, uncured mortar so that the mortar became drybefore proper chemical bonding and curing could take place. Because ofthis and the hazardous exposure of the workmen to toxic gases, thismethod of repairing a damaged stack was not satisfactory.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide an improvedmethod of repairing an operating masonry stack including the steps ofproviding a workmens platform around the outer periphery of the stackand removably inserting a temporary liner flue in the stack,

with sealing means for diverting the products of combustion passingthrough the stack away from the inner surface thereof.

It is another object of my invention to provide a temporary liner flueassembly which can be easily and quickly installed in the top of amasonry stack so that workmen can repair the stack while standing on aplatform sur rounding the outer periphery of the stack.

As a corollary to the object immediately above, it is a further objectof my invention to provide a temporary liner flue assembly for therepair of a masonry stack whereby the flue protects newly constructedmasonry from chemical attack and excessive heat.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view partly in section of a masonry stackhaving the temporary liner flue assembly of the invention installedthereon;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lineIIIIII of FIGURE 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference character Sdesignates a masonry stack having the temporary liner flue assembly ofthe invention installed therein for repairing the stack in accordancewith the method of the invention.

Reference numeral 2 designates a pair of rods or bolts, removablydisposed in parallel relation, extending transversely of the stack Sbelow its top portion, which is to be repaired. Rods 2 support a sealring 4, which is preferably made of asbestos or other suitableinsulating material. For convenience of assembly, the ring 4 may be madeof two semi-circular halves movably hinged together, as at 5.

An open cylinder member 6 having an outer peripheral flange 8 extendingaround its bottom end is supported on the seal ring 4 with the bottomend of the cylinder and the flange 8 resting on the ring. The outsidediameter of the cylinder 6 is less than the inside diameter of stack S.

In practicing the method of the invention, a circular platform P with asuitable guard railing R is erected extending around the periphery ofstack S below the area to be repaired. From this platform, workmen firstinstall the supporting rods 2, which are also placed below the area tobe repaired. With rods 2 secured in place, seal ring 4 is then broughtto the top of the stack, lowered therein and maneuvered into position onthe rods 2. Hinges 5 provide a convenient means of folding the twohalves of the ring 4 so that it can be more readily inserted into thetop of the stack and then be properly positioned on the rods 2.

Cylinder member 6 is then lowered into the top of the stack S,flanged-end down, by gin pole, crane or other suitable means, until theflanged-end of the cylinder comes to rest on the upper surface of theseal ring 4.

With cylinder 6 positioned with its flanged-end resting on the seal'ring4, it will be evident that gases emitting from the stack will flow asshown by the arrows in FIG- URE 3, thus making it possible for workmenstanding on platform P to be protected while removing any part or all ofthe stack S above the seal ring 4 and replacing it with green material.

Hence, it will be obvious that through the use of the temporary linerflue assembly and method of my invention repairs may be made to the topof a stack while the toxic gases emitting therefrom are diverted fromthe workmen making the repairs and also from contact with the freshlylaid mortar, thereby allowing the green mortar or concrete to properlydry and cure.

When proper curing of the mortar has taken place, the

3, cylinder member 6, seal ring 4 and support rods 2 are removed and therepaired stack continues to operate without any harmful effects on thenewly repaired section.

If desired, insulating material may be placed in the space between theouter surface of the cylinder 6 and the brick lining L of stack S as therepair work progresses upwardly so that as low a temperature as possibleis maintained in the green mortar during the curing process.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A temporary liner flue assembly for the top portion of a masonrystack which comprises a plurality of spaced elongated support membersextending through the wall of said stack immediately below said topportion thereof, an annular sealing ring removably disposed on saidsupport members and extending around the inner periphery of said stack,and a cylindrical sleeve removably fitted in said top portion of saidstack with one end resting on said sealing ring and its other endprojecting upwardly of said stack.

2. A temporary liner flue assembly as defined by claim 1 in which aperipheral flange extends outwardly around said one end of said sleeve.

3. A temporary liner flue assembly as defined by claim 1 in which saidsealing ring is of split ring construction having hinged sections.

4. A temporary liner flue assembly for the top portion of a masonrystack which comprises at least two elongated support members extendingtransversely of said stack beloW said top portion thereof in spacedparallel relation, an annular sealing ring removably disposed on saidsupport members and extending around the inner periphery of said stack,and a cylindrical sleeve removably fitted in said top portion of saidstack with one end resting on said sealing ring and its other endprojecting upwardly of said stack.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,363 10/1918 Weeks 522671,608,128 11/1926 Luby et al 52-218 X 2,175,564 10/1939 Ingham 5227 XHENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

1. A TEMPORARY LINER FLUE ASSEMBLY FOR THE TOP PORTION OF A MASONRYSTACK WHICH COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF SPACED ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBERSEXTENDING THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID STACK IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID TOPPORTION THEREOF, AN ANNULAR SEALING RING REMOVABLY DISPOSED ON SAIDSUPPORT MEMBERS AND EXTENDING AROUND THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID STACK,AND A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE REMOVABLY FITTED IN SAID TOP PORTION OF SAIDSTACK WITH ONE END RESTING ON SAID SEALING RING AND ITS OTHER ENDPROJECTING UPWARDLY OF SAID STACK.